Construction, Electrical & Plumbing Sector Chairs

Gord Wilson grew up in the building industry, working in his father’s construction company in Vancouver. In 1981, he came to the Okanagan where he established Team Construction, which today employs more than 35 employees. A founder of the TOMMIE Awards, Gord is the recipient of a B.C. Heritage Award for the Riggs House, a heritage restoration project recently completed in Kelowna. Gord is past-Chair of the College’s Program Advisory Committee for Carpentry and is treasurer for the Okanagan Region Wildlife Heritage Fund Society.

Alf Leimert started as an instructor at the College in 1997, and has spent the last six years as Chair of the Construction trades. An Okanagan College alumnus, Alf entered the College’s carpentry program fresh out of high school, and then worked in the residential construction sector, custom millwork shops and commercial construction. He obtained his teaching credentials at Okanagan College in conjunction with UVic. Alf is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Home Builders Association – Central Okanagan.

Oscar Krueger started his business in 1975, and has grown the company to a large mid-size business with upwards of 85 employees. Originally from Alberta, Oscar has his Class A Contractors License, and has been actively involved with the College’s Electrical Program Advisory Committee for the last 10 years. Krueger Electrical works primarily on large-scale projects such as the Landmark complex in Kelowna.

Tom Stapleton has been teaching in the Electrical apprenticeship program at the College since 2007. He holds an Electrical Red Seal, plus a Field Safety Representative-B (FSR-B) certificate. Prior to working at the College, he contracted for 25 years, and owned four electrical businesses – two on Vancouver Island, then in the Kootenays and in Kelowna before joining Okanagan College.

Patrick Waunch holds Red Seal tickets in four mechanical trades, plus Gold Seal certification in Project Management and Superintendent. Patrick sits on the board of the Southern Interior Construction Association where he is on the sustainability/LEED committee, and the board of the BC Construction Association. Patrick currently serves as Chair of the Trade Contractors Council for the Canadian Construction Association and is Chair of the College’s Plumbing/Piping Mechanical Program Advisory Committee.

Brad Oliver started as an instructor at the College in plumbing and gas fitting in 2006. In the industry for 26 years, Brad worked for Bricor Mechanical in Kelowna, and is a former inspector with the City of Kelowna. Brad has his Red Seal in plumbing and is a member of the Plumbing Officials of B.C.